Caesar’s $1k Main Event
Played the Caesar's Megastack ME today for $1060. You started at t25,000 and 25/50 blinds, so 500BBs. Levels were 1hr each and went up fairly slow until the 400/800 --> 600/1200/100 jump, but overall it was a pretty fun tournament. Had some fairly interesting hands happen, during the day and made one of the sicker hero calls I have ever made. The hero call went a little something like this, last level before dinner break (400/800) and I had 22k (after chipping down from 44k) and saw 44 UTG+1. I made it t2100 to go and MP1, who was a new player using a 2+2 chip as a card protector and was fairly young flats behind and we go heads up to the flop.
Flop comes: 9s 6h 2h
I checked to him planning to C/R but he checked behind (possibly should be leading there though but I digress)
Turn brings a 7c for a 9s 6h 2h 7c board and I fired t3500 and he flats behind rather quickly. He had me covered but a decent amount to start the hand as well.
River brings a black J and I checked in lieu of firing a blocking bet which induced a t6000 bet from MP1. I essentially snapped off with 4s and before I could even show he started to muck. My basic thought on the hand was that with a 9 he likely fires flop and a 7 or 6 he likely checks behind river because he has showdown value. I essentially never call a bet on the river with anything that beats a 9 thus I felt the only real possibility was Jh Xh or complete air, i.e. flush draw, whiffed 8, or whiffed overs. Needless to say, out of the few times I make hero calls anymore its nice to make a read on what a player would be betting and be correct.
The hand itself is debatable as is though as I think I could have played it differently in a bunch of spots and it might be terribly suboptimal long run, but screw that! Let me have my moment.
After that hand I chipped back down from 34k to 32k before getting QQ on the last hand before break. An aggro young kid opened from MP2 to t2500 at 400/800 and I flatted in the CO with QQ (might have been a little short to flat, but I was looking to get it in postflop against the aggro player) BTN called behind as well and the flop came 9d 4d 2s. MP2 checks, I fire t4500, BTN folds and MP2 shoves. I snapped and he showed AA and sealed my exit. With those effective stacks I am doubtful that I could do anything different so I am happy with my showing.
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I have been also playing a little better lately online and took 5th in the 100r on Stars last night and recorded the last 2 hours which I will add narration to tomorrow or Thursday at the very latest so you will get two new vids from me very soon. Thanks for reading guys. Talk to you soon.
~Justin